Who: National Framework for Elimination of Malaria 2016-2030What: Launched by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP NaddaWhen: 11 February 2016

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on 11 February 2016 released the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030at New Delhi. The framework outlines India’s strategy for elimination of the disease by 2030.

NFME document defines goals, objectives, strategies, targets and timelines to eliminate malaria from the country. It will serve as a roadmap for advocating and planning malaria elimination from the country in a phased manner.

The objectives of the NFME are to
• Eliminate malaria from all low (Category 1) and moderate (Category 2) endemic states/UTs (26) by 2022
• Reduce incidence of malaria to less than 1 case per 1000 population in all States/UTs and the districts and malaria elimination in 31 states/UTs by 2024
• Interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in all States/ UTs (Category 3) by 2027
• Prevent re-establishment of local transmission of malaria in areas where it has been eliminated and to maintain malaria-free status of the country by 2030

The milestones and targets are set for 2016, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2027 and 2030 by when the entire country has sustained zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria for 3 years and initiated the processes for certification of malaria elimination status to the country

The NFME 2016-2030 also defines key strategic approaches such as
• Programme phasing considering the varying malaria endemicity in the country
• Classification of States/UTs based on API as primary criterion (Category 0: Prevention of re-introduction phase; Category 1: Elimination phase; Category 2: Pre-elimination phase; Category 3: Intensified control phase)
• District as the unit of planning and implementation
• Focus on high endemic areas
• Special strategy for P. vivax elimination

An enabled environment and necessary resources would remain critical to realize the objectives in the pathway to malaria elimination.

Expectations from States/Union Territories
• By the end of 2016, all states/UTs are expected to include malaria elimination in their broader health policies and planning framework
• By the end of 2017, all states are expected to bring down API to less than 1 per thousand population
• By the end of 2020, 15 states/UTs under category 1 (elimination phase) are expected to interrupt transmission of malaria and achieve zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria
• It is also envisaged that in states with relatively good capacity and health infrastructure, such as, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, accelerated efforts may usher malaria elimination sooner – within two to three years
• As per the targets under the 12th Five Year Plan, the country is to achieve API<1 at state and district level by 2017 and pave way to malaria elimination in subsequent years